A Twisted Tattoo
by GooeyBelle
Summary: The Courier has fallen ill. Not one of her companions are sure what it is but they are determined to get her well, but when she demands to see Joshua Graham again will they still stand by her? Rated T for now.
1. Chapter 1

"Something has to be said about your habit of collecting people," Arcade chuckled, "like House does with those snow globes." The doctor was trying his best to make Ryn smile, but the Courier wasn't having it - not today. Today was one full of pain. Her head was aching as if she had been shot again. It was becoming too much and Ryn had little strength to mentally spar with Arcade.

After all, she had given up the pretence of being totally self reliant. Veronica and Cass, who had taken up sleeping in the master bedroom with the Courier, whispered to the scientist about they had to guide her to the bathroom for her every-other-day bathing ritual.

Boone, the NCR sniper, had grown close to Ryn despite the fact that they rarely talked. When she started to become ill, he remained even more tight lipped than usual. He would come to sit in her room while - never saying a word. He would sit and drink the Nuka Cola that the Courier had found previously, and clean all her weapons in complete silence. Raul helped, and tried to lighten the mood with his hollow tormenting but he would only earn a stern look from Boone and the occasional chuckle from Ryn. She wouldn't engage Boone, maybe knowing better than to push him into pleasant conversation when he was like this. Maybe she somehow knew that this whole situation made him fear loss that he hadn't experienced since his wife died.

Either or, she reserved only her softest expressions for the Sniper and talked in her throaty hoarse voice to the rest of her friends. In turn, they kept their voices low to keep her from wincing in pain. Even Lily tried to stop yelling, it was hard for her at first because the sicker Ryn got, the more she panicked about one of her 'grandbabies' dying. Even when Arcade promised that the Courier would not die, she wouldn't listen, insisted on force feeding the little 19 year old whatever was in the fridge. Ryn smiled and ate up even when she was close to vomiting. She told Arcade this was just to make Lily happy, after all she reminded her of her real grandmother.

"What? She was an 8 foot tall blue mutant too?" He laughed as he crossed his legs and flicked through the pages of Ryn's many magazines, this time one called _True Police Stories_.

Smiling weakly, the Courier ladled more mole rat stew past her chapped lips, "no, but she was bat-shit insane."

It appeared that only ED-E didn't feel concerned about Ryn's condition – then again, his program didn't include emotions, like most of machines in the Wastes. Rex, on the other hand, hardly moved from his place at the foot of her bed. Hardly, because the companions made sure to take turns taking him for walks. Not that they didn't get out enough with Ryn being sick. During the long hours when she was sleeping, two or more of the group would go for food runs in The Strip and Westside. Arcade was the only one who traveled to the Mormon Fort for medical supplies. Julie Farkas expressed the wish to visit her in The Lucky 38 but couldn't get a moment to slip away. Her concern for her recently inducted Follower, Arcade explained the symptoms to her only to find that she was extremely confused. "It almost sounds like she's pregnant… but suffering from some kind of poison as well."

"Pregnant?" Arcade's eyes widened with surprise. He didn't even know Ryn had been sexually active recently. He had known her all of two months, during that time she had traveled with him all of tree times, and all three times she hadn't been out of his sight for more than a minute. The poison could be explained easily, she had gone blindly into poisonous gas during her visit to the Sierra Madre and willingly consumed toxic drugs all for a silly ritual in Zion Canyon. Poisoned, Ryn could most likely be, but pregnant? Arcade frowned but said nothing more as he collected the spare meds Julie provided.

_Ryn… pregnant… impossible_, he thought, _she's probably a virgin. Probably only ever kissed before. _Arcade tossed the chance of pregnancy out of his head, it was outside the realm of possibility for someone like Ryn. He even chuckled at the idea but found himself choking back his laughter once he stepped off the elevator and into the suite. Veronica and Cass were standing outside the master bedroom, apparently locked out. Raul was on his knees, his hands working nimbly at the lock with a bobby pin and a screwdriver. Boone was pacing back and forth behind the three, his fists and teeth clenched while Lily barked at everyone to move out of the way so she could save her "little pumpkin."

"What's going on here?" Arcade asked dropping his bag to the floor.

"She woke up and went insane! Started throwing things at us, asking where some guy named Joshua was." Cass's fingernails were biting into her arm and though she tried to appear calm, her eyes were darting all over the room and her lips looked as if they had been bitten bloody.

"Joshua?" The name was familiar, Ryn had mentioned him several times after returning from Zion. Why would she want to speak to him now? How was she going to speak to him? Despite that, Arcade pushed forward past his fellow companions and pressed his lips to the small crack between the door and frame. "We'll take you to Joshua. I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Oh wow, I didn't expect to get any views or subscribers when I first posted this. Hopefully you guys will enjoy further chapters just as much as you did the first.

If anyone is wondering where I got my Courier's name from, it's from my favorite Jodie Foster movie "The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane" only I removed one letter.

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><p>The others stared speechless at Arcade. Lily was the only one not to notice what he had said, she raised her club at the sudden silence as if this was permission to break down the door. Noticing this, Arcade stood directly in front of the entrance which caused the Nightkin to hesitate.<p>

Ryn pressed her ear to the door, even with her senses dulled she could hear her friends hissing at Arcade. Her heart began to beat faster, she could feel the bile rising to the back of her throat, and her hands were trembling at the hem of her over button down. He meant it. The thought of being back and Zion made all those feelings go away for just a brief moment, a warmth she had never felt before spread through her entire body. The Courier licked her lips once and gripped the door knob, "you promise, Arcade?"

Again, the ones on the other side of the door fell completely silent. Someone shuffled closer and cleared their throat. "I promise," Arcade said softly, "just tell us what to do." Trusting Arcade was easy, he was evasive about himself but brutally honest when it came to others and the concern in his voice told Ryn that her trust would not be misplaced. Slowly, she unlocked the door.

Three days passed since the locked door episode. Ryn's comrades were convinced into taking her to Zion, some with the use of her silver tongue – others by her health further deteriorating. The Courier had now started coughing up blood in a relatively large amount. It started the morning of the incident, when she woke up alone and found blood on her pillow she knew none of the treatments Arcade swore by would work. Knowing no one would listen to her if she asked politely, she went for the dramatic and it worked exactly how she hoped it would. Now they were packing up their belongings and preparing for the two week long journey into the canyon.

It was decided that no one too "abnormal" would accompany the group for the long trek. Ryn didn't want one of her companions to be attacked due to their appearance alone so Lily and Raul would stay behind in the suite. The Nightkin understood but seemed a little disappointed. Raul, with his bad knees, was glad to be able to kick back and relax. The one condition he had was that scrap electronics be bought so he could repair the radio that Cass, during one of her trysts with whiskey, had broken. Veronica and Boone reluctantly went out savaging together, and when they returned with the bits and bobs, both had a bitter look about their face.

A pack brahmin was bought from Heck Gunderson for a hefty sum of 4,300 caps. Never good at bartering, Ryn could only niggle him down from 4,500. All the necessities that were too heavy to carry on their backs would be packed into a small cart which would also hold a makeshift bed for Ryn when she got too tired to walk. Boone came into possession of a couple pup tents and Cass fitted the cart with a lean-to after the Courier described the rain in Zion.

"I haven't seen rain in a long time," Cass said almost wistfully.

"I had never seen it until I went to the canyon," Ryn admitted, "it was almost like a religious experience. I bathed in the river and the skies opened above me. It was amazing." Her eyes focused on a distant point across the room, she felt as though her 'sins' had been washed away the second her face broke the water's surface. Shivers ran down her spine, in 14 days she would feel that again, provided she didn't succumb to her ailment.

The night before they were to set out towards the Northern Passage, Boone came into the Courier's room and sat down on the plush yet dirty couch across the room. Since they had returned from Bittersprings, he had backed away from the edge and was looking forward to the battle at Hover Dam – because it was what he believed in, not because he needed to seek revenge. Now he was looking at Ryn with his mouth opening and closing, trying to decide what to say.

He finally settled on one word, "why?"

"Because he understands me." She answered before covering her mouth with the blood stained rag she used whenever a cough was coming on.

"He's a Legion-!"

"No, he isn't." Ryn closed her eyes for a moment and sucked in a shaky breath, "I know he and Daniel will save me."

"I don't trust him."

"You've never met him. Hopefully when you do you can see that a tiger can change his stripes."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** sorry if this chapter isn't the greatest. I've been a bit busy lately and I apologize if I can't update regularly but I do plan on finishing this story.

If you're interested in Ryn's stats:

Intelligence - 10 (it was 9 but she got an implant)  
>Strength - 4<br>Perception - 4 (but with glasses it's 6)  
>Endurance - 6<br>Charisma - 5  
>Agility - 6<br>Luck - 8

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><p>Everything was set. Ryn, propelled by the promise of Zion, dressed herself and ate without any help from the other women. This would be a small, if not insignificant, achievement to the Courier had she been well, managing to do it while fighting to survive made her hopeful. As she pulled on her top, she absent mindedly touched upon the scar around her neck. Still angry and red despite the passing of time, the slight pain from brief contact with it caused her to wince. Since she had returned from the Sierra Madre, she had tried to conceal the mark, hiding it behind a strip of black fabric ripped from one of her many outfits. Out of sight out of mind. When the scar was hidden, Ryn didn't have to think about how she left Veronica's mentor down in that vault. <em>God<em>, Ryn thought, _forgive me._

After ridding her stomach of the fresh wasteland omelet Cass had made, the Courier joined the group in the Casino. Arcade made it a point to follow her in the elevator, assuring her that if she fell, he'd carry her to the brahmin.

"That's very sweet of you, but I think I can make it."

"You act like I actually _want_ to drag you all the way down those steps. Please, take my kind offer with a grain of salt." He smiled and placed a warm hand on Ryn's back. Gently he guided her to the brahmin, making sure to grab the back of her shirt when her legs decided to give out. The moment she was settled in cart, Rex hopped up and laid beside her, his big brown eyes searching her face for approval. Getting the smile he wanted, the dog closed his eyes and fell asleep.

It would only take a few hours to reach the Northern Passage so it was decided they would take it slow on the way there and use the narrow passage's cover as protection during the night. This suggestion was made by Cass, who was pretty knowledgeable about certain situations when her lips were separated from the cool glass mouth of a whiskey bottle. While everyone agreed this would be an excellent idea provided that the usual creatures were cleared out first, Boone merely frowned and shrugged – he was no good at close quarters combat and he didn't exactly trust Veronica to do as well of a job as Ryn did with a shotgun and a pistol.

He wouldn't admit it out loud but he missed Ryn being his companion, his spotter, and with her incapacitated like this, she rarely made any of the decisions she was normally so apt at making. Sitting on the end of the wagon with his binoculars in one hand, rifle in the other, the Sniper looked back at the sick Courier. Her eyes were closed but she wasn't sleeping, no they were clenched shut like she was willing herself not to complain about the situation. Boone often wondered, during their outings, if the little 19 year old had been trained similar to how he was in the NCR. The two of them were an excellent pair and would only need to use single words to convey the position and prowess of incoming foes. Up! Right! Left! Center! Heavy! Light! Very rarely did she have to use the word "help."

Now Ryn was lying helpless and weak and for the first time, she appeared fragile. Boone distinctly remembered a time when they were battling Nightkin in the old REPCONN test site basement – the tiny Courier was thrown across the room with one swing from a large rebar club. No doubt suffering from several broken ribs and a punctured lung, Ryn pushed herself up again and ended the huge enemy and only waited until it lay lifeless on the floor before collapsing in pain. "Wasn't," She heaved, "paying… attention…" and then she did the unthinkable and laughed. Of course, even then, she needed to recover after having the ribs reset but that was just a battle wound to her. Even as she laid in that Novac motel room with her blackened eyes focused on Boone, a crooked smile plastered on her face, she had that strength that could only come from such youthful innocence. Truly, the Sniper thought, Ryn must believe she's invincible.

"Hey," A raspy voice cut through the silence, "Boone, are you mad at me?" Ryn pushed herself up a bit while pulling her blanket up over her chest and under her chin. The childish question made Boone pause. It sounded so unlike the strong young woman that it seemed sarcastic.

"No, I'm not." The Sniper answered quickly.

"Good. Thank you for coming with us. I'm sorry I can't really give you a real answer to why I need to go – I just do." Before she could punctuate her sentence with one of those crooked smiles she so loved to give, Ryn's eyes grew wide and she quickly scrambled to the side of the cart and let loose another wave of bile.

Used to this by now, Boone just waited until she was done and handed her the beat up old canteen he had by his side so she could rinse her mouth. "You really trust this guy? I mean, he was a Legate for Caesar."

"I trust him with my life." Ryn said, "just like you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**

You guys have every right to kick me in the shins if this chapter isn't as good as the others. My grandfather has been in and out of the hospital for the past couple weeks and I've been taking care of him so I haven't really had time to write or do much of anything else. You can really tell this chapter isn't as well put together as the others and I'm sorry.

Despite what the following might hint at – there will be no Boone/Courier romance going on in this story. Sorry if that's what you're into but I don't really think he and Ryn are destined to be anything other than friends.

I'm not going to give up on this story, so if it takes me a while to post a new chapter, forgive me – I'm just dealing with a lot at the moment. Thank you for your support so far! I won't let you guys down! Also, sorry for the cliffhanger, I wanted to get this out before I had to leave for Florida.

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><p>Boone distinctly remembered the first time he realized that Ryn was a smaller, younger version of Carla (and therefore untouchable.)<p>

It was a cold November night; the Courier, ED-E and he were taking shelter in an abandoned Jacobstown bungalow. The robot had set a small fire to a pile of ruined books piled high in the fireplace and Ryn pouted slightly at the flames that were providing her with vital warmth. "I don't like burning books."

The Sniper scoffed, "books or fire."

"I mean, I'd rather not freeze to death but books are so important to understanding our past that to burn them is an insult to our intellectual history." The Courier frowned deeply but crept closer to the fire. There was a strained silence where the two humans sat staring at the flames, Boone cleaning his rifle with a dirty scarf while Ryn rocked back and forth slightly. A pot of stew was cooking and the smell had the both of them drooling a bit.

"What's your favorite color?" Ryn asked after a moment of silence. This was her habit, she hated silence, it made her feel uncomfortable.

"Blue."

"Favorite food?"

"Ryn, I don't feel like talking." The Sniper knew this wouldn't stop her from talking but it would keep the Courier from asking him any real questions.

"Well, what haven't I told you about myself?"

What _hadn't_ she told him? Within the first week of their relationship Boone learned that her favorite color was maroon and it made her sad that some members of Legion wore the same shade. Her favorite food was mashed potatoes with ground jalapeño peppers. She hated pre-war food – she swore that one Fancy Lad Snack Cake could make her violently ill, so she had to learn to cook but she couldn't remember who taught her. The Courier faintly remembered dating a boy with one eye; he had given her a pre-war book he found that was about a woman who only felt safe at a jewelry store and she loved it so much she agreed to go out with him on the spot.

Her talkative nature was annoying at first, but Boone adapted to it quickly – just how he had done with Carla. It didn't dawn on him how similar the two were until they had finished their dinner and gone to sleep. Ryn always fell asleep first, she had snuggled deep into the bed's thick blankets and fell asleep in record time. Boone took the spot next to her, and happened to glance over at the Courier before setting up his bedroll. She slept on her back with one arm flung over her eyes and her mouth open, displaying her little rabbit-like front teeth. The sniper remembered how his late wife did the same, his stomach rolled and he silently swore he'd part ways with her the second he had a chance. There was no way he'd risk getting Ryn killed – not when he was on his way to the grave.

Luckily, the Sniper didn't betray that gut feeling that made him follow her in the first place.

Cass was right about the cover the narrow passage provided. After clearing out the pack of geckos that had taken up residence in some of the shallow caves, the group made camp for the night. After brewing a particularly strong pot of black coffee, everyone with the exception of Boone was huddled around the fire. The Sniper had gone to bed early, as was the norm, so he could be more alert in the morning. Ryn held her coffee mug like it was a vital lifeline, warming her hands and her insides with every sip.

Arcade rested back against a portion of the rock wall that had been warmed by the fire and sighed. "How did you find this recipe? It is amazing."

"Follows-Chalk taught it to me. It's really easy to make," Ryn muttered before lifting the rim of her mug to her chapped lips.

Even in her sloppiest of clothes, the Courier was well armed and this was made all the more obvious by the way she held her rifle between her thighs while drinking. Spirit Stick, a brush gun she had found in Zion was rarely out of her sight. It was by far her favorite weapon, one that she cared for like a child. Every night she would polish the dark wood stock, taking care to rub extra pigment into the words etched into the frame. _May It Guide You Home_ – a message that rang true more now than ever. The delicate etchings took hours to make, and when she ran her fingers over them the idea of some man or woman slaving over this gun and making it their own resonated with Ryn. She wanted to make something her own so desperately that to sell the gun she had found or let it lie unused in her weapons bin seemed like a slap in the face to its previous owner. Not that she hadn't made modifications to it of her own, an elegant little blue and white dream catcher that Waking Cloud had given her was now attached to the stock, right under the words that tied her to the gun in the first place.

Of course, A Light Shining Through Darkness was stored in a decorative leather holster strapped around Ryn's chest – she didn't like to be too far away from it and often slept with it under her pillow. Cass laughed about this and attempted to reach out to touch the pistol, "I'm starting to wonder if you take that thing with you to the can."

"She does," Veronica snickered, "I've seen her do it."

The Courier burned a bright shade of red and promptly kicked the Scribe squarely in the shins (though this was just for show seeing as how the kick barely registered with Ryn's weakness.) "Sharing is caring except when it's my business."

"Well, it's better to be armed to the teeth with your pants down than not to be. Remember Vault 22?" Cass smirked over her cup, "that giant fucking plant thing popping out of a toilet? God, the look on your face!"

"I'm not the one who screamed and started firing all over the place." The Courier noted. She frowned a little as the dregs from her coffee spread across her tongue. This wouldn't help her keep it down and she could already feel her lungs burn as they usually did right before she had to double over and cough more blood. Instead of subjecting her friends to that unpleasant sight, Ryn pulled her bandana up over her mouth. Everyone in present company ignored this, allowed the Courier to hack as much as she needed before resuming the conversation.

"So, do you think-" Cass's thought was interrupted by a loud bang that caused everyone to jump. Boone was shouting out in short bursts that he knew the Courier would understand, even if it confused the rest of their party. "2 Clicks! Heavy! Ten." Grabbing The Spirit Stick, Ryn dragged herself to her feet with a heavy groan.

"I'll take lead, you get behind me." She was already plopping her combat helmet on her head and stepping forward as she spoke.

"Are you insane? You're not strong enough to fight!" Veronica shouted taking a fist full of Ryn's shirt. The Courier jerked away and started loading her gun.

"They don't want to kill me, they want to capture me… then maybe kill me." She chuckled a little and took another uneasy step forward only to wobble a little before grabbing the passage wall for support.

"Just get in one of the tents and we'll handle it," Arcade commanded. He was doing his best to grab the Courier but she kept pulling away, and despite how shaky her legs were, Ryn would always get just out of his reach. While this childish squabbling continued, Boone and Cass retreated to a high point in the rocky wall. The two watched as the Legion Assassins, lead by Vulpes Inculta, moved closer and closer…


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:**

Well, I'm feeling more confident with this chapter. I'm not the best at dialogue, but I think I did well enough!

I'm starting to wonder if I should have titles for my chapters, maybe it would be tacky? I'm not sure. Chapter 1, 2, 3, ect gets boring after a while.

I hope you enjoy this one, review or don't, I'm just happy if you enjoyed it!

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><p><em>The water was scalding hot, it tinged the Courier's pale skin a bright red and she prickled as she settled into the tub. Sweat, that's what the room smelled like. The kind of unwashed scent that took forever to scrub from the skin. <em>

_Benny's body could be clearly seen from the next room. Still naked, his lips blue, eyes open and glassy as they stared, unseeing, at the ceiling above his bed. Ryn performed a courtesy by covering him from the waist down. Nothing to write home about but still, even a rat like him deserved a little modesty in death. _

_She felt used up. Filthy for the first time that she could remember. Why did she agree to that? It could only end badly, after all, he was a crazed junkie – just in a nicer uniform. It felt disgusting. Even as she scrubbed her skin raw she couldn't get rid of the feeling of ghost hands sliding down her back, grabbing her ass, groping her breasts. The bite on her shoulder pulsated under the skin to the same rhythm as her heart. _If there's one thing I loathe, it's men who bite_, Ryn thought, quoting her favorite book. And boy! Did Benny bite! She ran her fingers over each grove his sharp straight white teeth left in her flesh. _

_When she was finished washing and drying herself, the Courier stepped into her leather dress and zipped it all the way up. Usually she left a little unzipped at the top to expose the lace from her bra but today was different. She sat next to the rapidly cooling corpse of her attacker to pull on her artfully torn stockings, occasionally she'd look over her shoulder at the body and grimace a little between puffs of her cigarette. Maybe she half expected him to take another deep breath, roll over, and ask for seconds. _

_After knotting her boots, Ryn stooped down and picked up the hideous black and white suit jacket Benny had hurriedly pulled off an hour earlier. The Courier felt around the pockets and produced a shining silver gun. She turned it over a couple times and studied the beautifully detailed picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She wondered if Benny knew who she was, what she stood for. Woman of the Apocalypse – yeah, that suited Ryn just fine. She stuffed the pistol in her boot and pocketed the two room keys he had stored in a secret pocket in the lining of his jacket. _

_The jacket still felt heavy and she knew the chip would be in there somewhere. Resting the garment across her knees, she took the lining in both hands and tore it right down the middle. It fell right between her feet. No bigger than a silver dollar, the chip almost sparkled in the dim hotel lights. This? This is what she had been shot for? What she had been placed in a shallow grave for? Looking at it, she almost wished she had shot Benny instead of suffocating him. Her head felt like it was going to erupt as she squeezed the heavy platinum token in her left hand. _No_, she thought, _he knew what it was like to battle for the right to live. He knew what it was like to gasp for breath and find none._ Ryn had gotten her revenge on Benny and she sure as fuck wasn't going to hand the chip over to that bastard House. He practically set her up to die, and to expect her to hand it over after all she had been through was an insult to her intelligence and her will to survive. _

_Ryn shoved the cold metal between the fabric of her bra and her flesh, it would remain there, only being removed for bathing and clothing changes, until she knew what to do with it. Until then it would be a constant reminder of how she needed to change the Mojave. _

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><p>"Boone, you can kill all of them-"<p>

"Fine by me!" He shouted down from his perch.

"Except for Mr. Fox." Ryn finished.

The Sniper grit his teeth, sparing just one Legionary was like asking him to shoot his own foot. Painful. But he followed his orders and began to pick off the Assassins one by one. Cass watched through her binoculars as the tight group tried to scatter and reform to avoid losing anymore of their numbers. It was futile, Boone was too quick for them, only Vulpes remained walking in that straight determined line towards the Courier. He knew that she, and her companions, wouldn't kill him.

Within 5 minutes the Head Frumentarii was the last standing and he had closed the distance between he and the Courier. Splattered with his fellow legionary's blood and brains, he stood 10 feet away from his intended target and crossed his arms over his chest. Rex growled at Ryn's side, Arcade swallowed hard and squeezed the grip of his plasma pistol. Veronica stood tall, eyes full of spite, clenching and unclenching her fists.

"Pleasure to see you, Mr. Fox." Ryn said with a charming crooked grin, "how are things? I'd offer my condolences on the loss of your leader but it would probably be in bad taste seeing as how I killed him."

Vulpes sneered a little but remained calm, "So you already know why I am here. Legate Lanius has demanded your immediate capture. You are to be brought to his camp post haste. There he will decide your fate." He tried, and failed, to hide the venom in his voice. Things had not been good since Lanius had taken over and everyone knew Vulpes' feelings on the matter.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fox, I know for a fact Lanius would have your head on a spike if you killed me. Seeing as how you're outnumbered, you're going to have to back to the Monster empty handed." The Courier was hiding her illness well, in the flickering campfire light one could not tell that her skin had taken on a sickly pallor or that her eyes were sunken in and the flesh around them red, and for this she was thankful. If Vulpes had even the slightest inkling that she was weak, he would seize the opportunity to take her – companions or no.

"I suppose there is logic in your argument."

"Since we've agreed on this momentary cease fire, did you hear how I took down your God-King, Caesar?" Ryn swung Spirit Stick under her arm to rest on her back, that cocky grin hadn't slipped from her face and she clapped her hands together as if preparing to tell a funny story. "Probably not, I didn't leave many witnesses to the fall of the Son of Mars, did I?"

Vulpes grit his teeth, a vein was throbbing on his neck and seeing this just amused Ryn more.

"See, I took your worthless coins, the ones with Pax Per Bellum and Aeternit Imperi scribbled across the back, and loaded them into my shotgun – a lovely one I got for slaying about 12 Deathclaws, 13 if you count the famed one, but that's beside the point. Anywho, I gave them back to Caesar, with interest. Really screwed up the barrel but hey, that's the price you pay for poetic justice, right?"

The Frumentarii's fists were clenched so tightly that his dirty fingernails bit into his palms. He had one card to play, one that would no doubt wipe that smirk off her face. Then she would attack, Vulpes could kill her and claim it was unavoidable. Matching her grin, he ran his tongue over his back teeth before saying, "I told Caesar before we met at Nipton, that we should have captured you before you had a chance to complete your pilgrimage to that retched den of sin. Despite your complete and utter disregard for the empire we sought to build, you would have made excellent breeding stock."

Ryn's Cheshire grin faltered for a moment but was quickly restored, "are you flirting with me Mr. Fox? Oh don't lie, you'd be first in line at the auction. I hate to tell you this, it'll probably break your heart, but I don't date outside my species." She punctuated her words by pulling A Light Shining In Darkness from her belt and firing one shot in Desert Fox's knee. He fell, yelping, and cursing her to hell.

"Oh you big baby, do you know how many times I've been shot in the knee? I don't even have knee caps anymore! They're metal, so get your ass up, this can't be the first time you've been shot at." She swooped down to kneel next to the man and sighed, "Listen, I appreciate you coming here and all, but you have to leave. Go back to Lanius and tell him I'll be speaking with him soon, okay? Tell him," Ryn paused for a moment then grinned even wider, "tell him the daughter of Minerva struck down the Son of Mars. Tell him that I gave you another chance despite being close enough to count the pours on your vile fucking face. The East will fall. He can decide if he wants to die in a losing battle."

The Courier stood abruptly, turned her back, and walked towards Arcade, Veronica, and her dog as Vulpes pushed himself up gingerly. "Boone, if Mr. Fox doesn't get out of here fast enough, I want you to make him dance all the way to the Legate's camp."

Boone grimaced as he watched the limping Frumentarii scramble away. He could have easily taken him out but as he raised his gun Cass pushed it down, "You'll get your chance later." The Sniper sighed heavily and lowered the rifle. Borrowed time, he thought, borrowed time.

Ryn waited, held her breath until her companions appeared less tense. "Is he gone?"

"Yeah," Veronica said with an expression of awe and amusement.

"Good because I'm about to faint." Everything went black and the Courier fell back into Arcade's arms.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:**

Okay, here is chapter 6 and I really like using flashbacks to explain backstory instead of using a burst of exposition from one of the characters. I like this chapter because it revolves around Arcade and Ryn's relationship and, obviously, Arcade is one of my favorite companions. I think of him as a brother to the Courier (well female character at least.)

I hope you enjoy! I'm just hoping this chapter flows well.

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><p>"<em>She's here!" Emily hissed as she poked her head into the tent.<em>

"_Who?"_

"_The girl who got into the Lucky 38! She's here! Come see her." The Follower practically dragged Arcade from his microscope over to the tent flap. The Scientist had heard a lot about The Courier and her charity, kindness, and Freeside fame. He expected a humble homely woman in her 30s, someone with a weathered face who wore modest clothing and carried a rosary from how she was described. Arcade had to admit that when he saw this attractive, abet malnourished, girl he was surprised._

"_She brought us a whole box of Med-X this time," Emily whispered, her arms were crossed over her chest but she was smiling appreciatively at the girl. "And some Fixer. Where she finds this stuff, I have no idea, but I'm not complaining." _

_Arcade studied Ryn from afar. She was small, only about 4'11 with dark red hair tied in a tight high ponytail and a bullet hanging from a ring on her left ear. Her hazel eyes were crinkled in a smile as Julie accepted the supplies with glee. Genuine. He noticed her teeth weren't the pearly white of the upper class but were in vastly better condition than the poorer patience he had seen come into the fort, only slightly off color. _

_Emily suddenly grabbed at her fellow Follower's arm and pointed to the girl's bag. A black and white checkered sleeve was hanging out of the messenger bag's flap. "That looks like Benny's suit." Arcade adjusted his glasses and narrowed his eyes, it did look similar but he made no comment. How could she have gotten that hideous jacket? As if she sensed that someone was looking, Ryn turned her head slowly towards the two and tucked the sleeve back into her bag as Julie turned away. No fear in her eyes, it just appeared like she was studying the two like they had done not more than a second earlier. Julie was heading towards her room near the base of the fort with a smile plastered on her face. Something was happening, at least it looked like something good._

_Giving her surroundings a quick glance, she headed towards the two Followers. Emily ducked away, "I've got work to do." Maybe the girl made her nervous, maybe she liked her, Arcade didn't care – he wasn't a people person so the advancing courier caused him to let loose a low groan of agitation. He had to admit she was interesting but she didn't look like the type to hold an intelligent conversation. _

"_Hi, I'm Ryn," The Courier held out her hand._

_Arcade took it but frowned, "if you're looking for a doctor you should inquire elsewhere, I'm not _that_ kind of doctor."_

_Ryn lifted an eyebrow and licked her lips quickly, "I'm not hurt, but thank you for your concern." She had to crane her neck back to look Arcade in the eyes but it didn't seem to bother her too much. "I take it you work in research if you're not the 'healing' type of doctor? Not very social?" _

_The Follower's lips parted, he couldn't help but smile at his own quick judgment. She was observant, he'll give her that. "No, not much of a people person, per say. I enjoy helping people but they tend to ask a lot of questions and when I'm not forthcoming, they tend to call me anti-social." Arcade shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed, "Like most people in the wastes, I tend to keep to myself."_

"_Odd profession to choose if you're reluctant to interact with others. Even in research you have to answer to others, right?"_

"_Not as often as you'd think, it's not like NCR's OSI. Unfortunately, the OSI has slightly better results than I do when it comes to certain areas. Better equipment, but it's a noble cause – trying to preemptively solve the impending supply shortage that's bound to happen once all the hospitals are barren."_

"_Very noble. People tend to take for granted the sparse supplies available. Stimpaks are relatively easy to make but things like Fixer and Rad-X are far more complicated." With a weak sigh Ryn shrugged, "no doubt there is going to be a spike in the number of diseases people are going to face once sterilized syringes are scarce." She smirked, "you never told me your name."_

_Arcade's surprise was hard to hide, he didn't expect to be able to converse with the rough looking courier. "Arcade Gannon."_

"_I like your name. Arcade, like Arcadia – a Utopia. With your goals I can say that the name fits, you have an idealistic air about you. If it's not a bother, may I ask what you're studying?" _

"_Well," The Follower frowned, "I'm attempting to find secondary uses for plants common to the Mojave. However, I'm sure if agave had any medical uses it would be documented already. _Nihil novi sub sole_."_

_Ryn chuckled a little, she didn't give any indication that the phrase was new to her. "You never know. _Dum vita est, spes est_, yanno?" Her pronunciation further surprised the Follower. Latin was a dead language and he often used it to confuse and further push away people who tried to engage him in deep conversation. _

"_I know where I learned Latin, may I ask where you acquired the tongue?"_

"_I don't really remember," As she said this her hand involuntarily clasped the bullet hanging from her earring. "Strange that I'd remember that, almost makes me wonder whether it's taking up space in my mind in favor of more important things or if I've forgotten something invaluable instead." _

"_I'm back! I think this is your size," Julie said, surprising them both with her presence. She was holding a long white Followers coat which she practically thrust in the Courier's hands. "Wear it well and spread the message of the Followers through the wastes!" Uncharacteristically, Julie threw her arms around Ryn and squeezed her tightly before holding her at arm's length. "I have to go deal with some patients. You're welcome anytime here." _

_Amused, the Courier thanked Julie and watched her scamper off with a wide smile on her face. Arcade waited for the Courier to slip on her new coat before speaking. "Congrats. Welcome to the fold." _

"_Thanks, hey, why don't you follow me? Think of it as field research." _

* * *

><p>Arcade carried Ryn's limp body into her tent. She was sheet white and she had started to sweat heavily, her fever was breaking but the Follower decided to stay in her with her for the night. Rex was the only other creature allowed in the two man tent with Ryn only because the poor animal would whimper outside, preventing anyone from sleeping.<p>

The Scientist bundled the Courier up in the ragged sleeping bag, checked her vitals (as well as he could,) and settled down on his own side of the tent with one of the few books Ryn insisted on bringing. The cover was missing on the one he picked but he knew it was called _Watership Down_ and it was about rabbits. Why she enjoyed this particular book was beyond him, he never understood the appeal of stories about animals, nonfiction was his preference but with the limited choices he had, it seemed like the most interesting.

Just as he reached the second chapter, a low moan distracted him and Arcade set the book down on his chest. Ryn grabbed her head and whined, "Did I do well?"

"Do well?"

"Did I scare him away?"

Arcade's lips curled into a smile, he nodded and the Courier sighed, "Good. Hey, can you hand me my bag?"

The Scientist reached over to his left and grabbed the green canvas messenger bag and let loose a groan as he found it heavier than he imagined. "What have you got in here? Bricks?"

Ryn struggled, but ultimately dragged the bag to her side. "Something like that," She muttered as she reached inside and pulled out a brick of solid gold. Arcade's eyes grew wide and his jaw went slack, before he could speak she pressed a finger to her lips. "I managed to get four of these out of the vault at the Sierra Madre. They're worth a lot of caps. The other three are in a safe at the Lucky 38." She coughed as she pushed herself up into a sitting position, setting the bar down in her lap she glanced over at her friend and sighed, "This one is for the tribes in Zion, so they can have an easier time trading with the caravans."

"How-?"

"Let me finish." It wasn't rude, she just smiled and placed that thin finger to her lips again. "The password to the safe is Hopeful. Listen, I have instructions." The Courier's eyes were wide as she stared at the Scientist, "you may want to get a pen." Arcade scrambled for a pen and a piece of paper, Ryn waited patiently and smiled at his enthusiasm. "One bar is for The Brotherhood. Veronica isn't an official scribe anymore, but she knows people who can deliver it to the elder. McNamara will know what to do with it. I'll write a note to go with it just in case."

"Wait, Ryn-"

"No, I'm not done." A little impatient edge to her voice silenced Arcade for the moment. "The second bar is for Julie. It'll help towards renovating the clinic. I want it made into a proper hospital and training facility for recruits. Some of the caps will go towards your research as well. I want you to be as well funded as the OSI. I found an old autoclave just outside Nellis. It's in pieces but I'm sure you can get some of your Remnants friends to fix it. I haven't figured out how you're going to move it all the way to the clinic but I'm sure Pearl and Loyal will help."

"Ryn…" The Scientist's face fell, he hadn't expected she'd go this far in her redemption mission. It was almost overkill, touching, but uncommonly generous.

"The last one," She went on as if she hadn't heard Arcade, "is to be held for the NCR until they agree to my conditions. You and Boone will deliver that one. They'll only be allowed to have it once they've agreed to use it towards building a foundation towards paying back families of fallen soldiers and funding their medical staff. They have to work with the Followers. Julie will make sure they don't try to take over the group and run it their own way. They must also agree to leave The Brotherhood alone. They have to take care of the Powder Gangers and to take back the NCR correctional facility. I know all of this will be difficult for them, but hopefully, their love of money will force them to change. Threaten them with the loss of air support from the Boomers if they resist."

Ryn swallowed hard and tucked the brick back in her bag before turning to Arcade, "I'm done."

"Why are you telling me this? I mean, it almost sounds like you're dictating a will."

"Because I am," The Courier frowned slightly at her friend's reaction. He tossed the pen and pad away and folded his arms over his chest. "Don't act like a child. Everyone knows there's a chance I won't make it, I'm just covering my bases."

"Ryn. You are going to get well. I refuse to accept that you'll die from this… I won't allow it."

"That's sweet, but you always need a plan B."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **

Hi guys! Did you miss me? Sorry I haven't been uploading regularly but I got Skyrim (also known as the end of your social life.) So, I've been writing this on and off between becoming the Thane of every hold, and I hope you like it.

I know that Dorcas is more of a Catholic figure since she was brought back to life by Saint Peter but since she was mentioned in the Book of Acts I figured she's way too perfect of a metaphor (if that's the proper term) not to use.

I need to work out a timeline for this story as I can see how the fact that I used the DLCs out of order in order to explain Ryn's behavior. I'm doing my best not to twist Joshua's character around too much, I like his character way too much to ruin it but hey, I'm not a professional writer (if that isn't obvious.)

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

><p><em>Half a Glasgow Smile, a horrible unfinished trinket from a particularly vicious White Leg. That was the first wound Ryn would receive in Zion, and by far, the most disfiguring.<em>

_Ryn remembered the man locking his arm around her throat while the mantis gauntlet on his opposite hand pressed into the corner of her lips. The sharp point punctured her skin and poison dripped down her chin._

_At first, it was so shocking that an enemy had gotten close enough to get her into this position that she didn't even register that she was in pain – only that she hadn't evaded danger like she had done so many times before._

_The man was rambling, hissing in her ear, most likely vile words that were supposed to strike fear in the Courier's heart. He slowly dragged that razor sharp blade across her pale dirty flesh. A few seconds later, her body realized the pain was actually happened and the instinct to scream and struggle could not be ignored – Ryn let loose a loud screeching sound that only served to widen the wound now half way across her face. Blood was pouring down her face now, her thin white shirt was quickly becoming saturated._

_The White Leg was inches away from dragging that blade up to her ear when there was a loud crack followed by a thud. The man's weight was suddenly on her back and Ryn fell to the ground gasping and sobbing. Waking Cloud's rushed voice swam in and out of the Courier's ears, she could just make out the native woman's shape as the effects of the poison became more apparent. Her body felt tight, clenched, as if all of her muscles were trying to compensate for the few moments earlier when she froze up and was unable to move. Crawling on her hands and knees, she tried to jerk off her backpack but her hand eye coordination was shot to shit._

_"Anti… Anti…" She gasped trying to point to her backpack, "venom… Anti-Ven…" Ryn's throat was swelling up and she quickly found the world spinning before her. The only thing she could do was grab the earth and wait for the ride to stop. Waking Cloud jerked the cloth backpack off the Courier's shoulders and flipped it over so the contents fell scattered over the red earth. Finally she found the syringe of translucent brown liquid._

_"What do I do? Child?"_

_Ryn didn't respond, every breath was extremely painful and it felt like she was beginning to drown. She pointed, pointed to the sliver of bare flesh on her hip just once._

_The Courier's eyes flickered open and she winced at the memory of the attack. A bandaged face was floating above her and as she stared at it the vivid blue color of Joshua's eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of Angel cave. She was lying on Joshua's bed, a lit candle rested on the bed side table and the Burned Man had pulled up a chair so he could watch over the Courier, ready and prepared to answer her questions when she woke. Ryn didn't jump at his face, she just moaned and looked around the room, "I would have done fine on a bedroll."_

_He ignored her comment. "Follows Chalk is currently trying to find a way to get you back to the Mojave," The former Legate said with nothing but concern and compassion in those harsh eyes._

_Ryn swallowed hard, a bitter bile like taste rested in the back of her throat and she wondered if she had been ill while unconscious. "I thought you needed my help." She tried to push herself up but Joshua placed a hand on her shoulder and told her to stay where she was._

_"I did need your help, but I didn't expect you to want to stay after something like this. Daniel and I will find another way to rid Zion of the White Legs."_

_"I promised to help you, and I never go back on my promises." She jerked away from his palm, not out of repulsion, but out of concern that him touching her might actually be hurting him. It was true that Graham's body didn't heal the way it should have all those years ago but the palms of his hands – he had to use those, the pain in his hands were minute compared to other parts of his body. Because of this, he took her sudden move as a sign she didn't want to be touched by him and he clenched his hand shut before leaning back in his chair._

_"Just give me a few days, that's all. I found the compass and the doctor's bag, Waking Cloud knows where it is." The Courier frowned and was shocked by how painful that was now. "Who sewed me up?"_

_Joshua, still clenching and unclenching his hand, muttered that it was Daniel._

_"Of course," Ryn whispered. It suddenly dawned on her that her face was going to be scarred and while she had scars everywhere else on her body, she had managed to keep her face relatively scar-free. Even the bullet hole on her forehead was relatively small and easily covered by her hair. You can't cover a Chelsea grin so easily. The Courier didn't have much, didn't consider herself a particularly proud woman, but she did like her face. She covered her eyes with her hands and took in a deep breath, she didn't want to cry in front of someone she respected but couldn't hold back much longer. "Joshua, could I be alone for a moment?"_

_The Burned Man understood. As he made his way towards the opening of the cave a small childish voice stopped him, "I'm still pretty right?"_

_She wasn't looking at him, she had rolled on her side so her back was to him but even without facing him her quiet church mouse voice still reached the former Legate._

_Joshua looked over his shoulder and smiled, "yes, you're still pretty, Ryn."_

* * *

><p>They were skeletons draped in pale flesh, ghosts with bruise colored bags under their eyes, and the bright sunshine almost made their veins glow. The pilgrims narrowed their tired eyes as they exited the narrow passage. A few saluted the sunlight, their eyes used to the dimness of the cavern-like route into Zion.<p>

Arcade had almost forgotten what his friend's face truly looked like, for the passage was dark even at high noon and the campfires the group made painted her in soft yellows and gold. He nearly jumped out of the wagon when the 6 entered the canyon, Ryn was gaunt and deathly pale, and her body was a map of pain. The Scientist took a moment to study the Courier, he took in the starburst scar in the center of her forehead – the one she attempted to cover with her ragged bangs. The small burn on her neck, the spear wound in her bare shoulder, the Frankenstein-esque stitch scores on her scalp where her hair refused to grow back. The left side of her face, the side with the unfinished grisly smile was covered by her equally scarred arm. She was so marred, so marked up and beaten that she had this ragged savage beauty that was rare even in the savage wasteland.

He found himself chuckling softly at memory of her drunk on Absinthe, dragging him to the suite's bathroom while hissing, "look!" as she pointed to the broken mirror. "They glow," She whispered touching her own scars, "they're glowing!" The Scientist had frowned deeply, touched the Courier's face and remarked that they looked fine to him. "No! No! They're glowing! I'm a goddess!" She was beaming at her drunken alien reflection, "I'm a goddess…"

Veronica squealed and spun around as she bathed in the warm light. It must have been like the first day she exited the bunker. Cass just wandered over to the edge of the cliff and stared at the waters below. The journey had made the group yearn for fresh water, since they could not carry as much as they needed, every bit of liquid and food was rationed. The five were tired, hungry, thirsty, and smelly.

Boone spat on the ground and hitched his rifle higher on his shoulder, "let's get this over with."

Arcade frowned deeply at the sniper's comment. He was in awe of the beautiful world before him and couldn't understand Boone's blindness to the gorgeous nature of Zion.

Ryn was still sleeping, she had been doing a lot of that since they embarked on their journey. She was sweating heavily under her many blankets and her fever made the water rationing hard. Arcade had insisted on giving the Courier more water than the others – something that was understood by the rest but Ryn complained about the fairness of it all. "What's fair doesn't matter," Arcade had said as he forced the bottle to the Courier's chapped lips, "you are going to die if you don't keep hydrated."

The scientist gently lifted her arm and began to fiddle with the dials on her Pip-Boy until the map of Zion appeared on the screen. "Looks like we're going to have to ditch the brahmin in order to get down these rocks. Who wants carrying duties first?" Since he mentioned it, the group stared at him until he sighed, "fine!" He lifted Ryn's tiny body up and threw her over his shoulder, effectively waking the Courier who yelped and tried to reach for her gun. Arcade groaned that it was him, calm down. The courier settled down and commented that his shoulder was digging into her hip.

"Trust me, it's not so pleasant for me either." Arcade said.

"I can walk, you know."

"I'm not going to trust that your shaking legs will support you all the way there." The scientist said.

Veronica tailed behind Arcade in order to check Ryn's map, and called out directions every few minutes. It was difficult to walk this way, Boone and Cass walked on either side of the three, their guns ready to take down any yao guai or gecko they saw. Cass was oddly silent, the whiskey had run out and she had been going through some withdraw that made her snap at anyone who dared question her. This silence was a welcomed change, it meant she was hoping there would be something to wet her whistle in the canyon below. She broke the silence once to remark that everyone smelled like crap to which Veronica responded, "you don't smell so great yourself, hon."

Sometime down the path, a small man wearing little more than a loin cloth rushed forward. He was not suspicious, he had a large smile plastered on his tattooed face. "You are the ones Ryn told me about, eh? Oo-ee, you all look like you could use food. And a bath. Hey, is that Ryn?"

"Guys," The Courier groaned as she tried to wriggle so Arcade would set her on her feet, "this is Follows-Chalk." Ryn aimed a gentle kick into the Scientist's gut and he groaned finally letting her stand on her own. She stumbled a bit over her thick boots and grabbed the native man, pretending that was her intention, she quickly embraced him so that Arcade wouldn't site the stumbling as a reason to carry her again.

"Oh, hi Ryn!" Follows-Chalk beamed as he awkwardly hugged her back. "I did not know you would be bringing so many friends with you."

"Can we just cut to the chase?" Boone snapped causing the Courier to shoot him a vicious look. The Sniper quickly looked past her to avoid the evil eye. She was good at making the Sniper feel guilty, and he didn't like that, it was another Carla trait he would like to ignore but always failed to do so.

"Oh, okay, just follow me." Follows-Chalk placed his arm around the Courier's waist and helped her walk down the same path they had wandered down months before. The whole time the two talked in hushed voices. The native told her that he received the letters she had sent and that while the Dead Horses and Sorrows were currently fighting – the two had decided to set aside their differences for the moment in order to help her and Joshua. Ryn frowned at this news, she bit back bile as she hissed that she saved Zion in order for them to live peacefully – not fight with each other. Follows-Chalk looked genuinely remorseful, "I know this. Daniel tries to tell us this every day."

Ryn's heart sank at Daniel's name. "Is he still mad at me?"

"I don't think he was ever mad at you, he just doesn't like war."

"Then you two must be making him very proud," The underfed Courier snapped as they skid their way down a ledge towards the Eastern Virgin. Follows-Chalk bit his tongue.

"Water!" Cass yelped as she swung her carbine onto her back. The woman promptly fell to her knees, ignoring her better instincts, and began to drink freely as if the river was made of ambrosia. Veronica stared at the others before muttering, "fuck it," and did the same. Boone couldn't even help himself, and he squatted down to begin ladling water from his cupped hand to his mouth. Rex was already splashing around ahead of them, he looked happy as a lark to get a fresh drink, and the sight made Ryn smile.

The Courier and the Native then turned to Arcade who had remained standing, he shrugged, "I can wait until we're at the camp to get a drink."

"I can wait while you get hydrated," Ryn replied giving the older man a stern motherly look, basically ordering him to drink.

"That's not going to work, I still have my composure."

Cass narrowed her eyes and hissed a swear under her breath as if the statement was a direct insult on her own self control, she would have stood up to start a fight but the sweet clear water of the Virgin was more appealing than an argument – for once.

Follows-Chalk was amused by the site, his eyes danced between the others as if he was watching some fantastic play. "Oowee you must have not had a lot of supplies, eh?"

"You have no idea." Veronica gasped as she lifted her face from the water, a stream of liquid running down her chin.

Joshua Graham was expecting Ryn, he had been pacing the floor of his cave with his arms folded painfully tight across his chest and his ears pricked for the smallest sound of change in the tribe's usual din. He had gotten the Courier's letters, read them over and over, and stored them on his bedside table only to pick them up and read them once more when sleep evaded him. She wrote so formally, so precise, so proper that it almost sounded robotic – like she hadn't wanted to hint at any longing she might feel to return to Zion. It wasn't until a week ago that the letters stopped sounding formal and started to sound desperate. Her usually sloppy handwriting looked even more scratchy as if her hands were shaking and she often wrote in broken sentences. It worried him, The Burned Man worried over a child… it sounded insane when anyone tried to analyze it.

He heard his tribe fall silent and knew that Ryn had arrived. Joshua tore out of the cave and watched as the ragged group waded their way towards the camp. His stomach dropped at the sight of The Courier, her once healthy body appeared to have aged years in the months since they had first met but her eyes, those fierce hazel eyes, were still bright and vibrant as if they were the only real sign of life in an otherwise wasted body. She saw him, and her face lit up. Breaking free of Follows-Chalk, she bounded towards him with a new found strength, often tripping in the shallow water.

When the two were finally face to face, Joshua smiled under his bandages. She wanted to hug him, she wanted to throw herself into his arms and squeeze him to show him how much she had missed him but held back, knowing that would hurt his burned flesh. Ryn, instead, grabbed his hand and held it as gently as she could. "Joshua…"

"Dorcas," He beamed.


End file.
